Cyberbullying: What We Know, What We Can Do

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Cyberbullying What We Know, What We Can Do
Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D.Cyberbullying Research
Center Florida Atlantic University hinduja_at_fau.edu

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Fast Facts about Cyberbullying

• willful and repeated harm inflicted through the
  use of computers, cell phones, and other
  electronic devices
• Approximately 15-35 of students have been
  victims
• About 10-20 of students admit to cyberbullying
  others
• Girls as likely, if not more likely, to be
  involved as boys
• Involvement seems to peak in middle school
  (grades 6-8)
• - Most victims of cyberbullying know, or at
  least think they know, who the cyberbully is

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What the Research Shows

• Physical Consequences
• Headaches, sleeping difficulties, abdominal pain
• Emotional consequences
• Anger, frustration, sadness, fear
• Psychological consequences
• Self-esteem, suicidal ideation
• Social Consequences
• Rejection, peer conflict, lack of social
  competence
• Behavioral consequences
• Conduct problems, bullying, delinquency, violence
• Substance use, academic struggles, overall
  difficulties

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Work to be Done

• Assessments
• Information sharing/Workshops/Assemblies
• Social norming and climate
• Peer mentoring programming, mobilizing youth
• Focus on special populations
• Gender identity/expression and sexual orientation
• ASD youth (Aspergers Syndrome)
• Research (quantitative and qualitative)
• Peers, scholastic achievement
• Electronic dating violence, sexting
• Juvenile delinquency and school violence